SELF-DETACHING ANTI-THEFT DEVICE WITH POWER REMOVAL STATION

• US 20160364969A1
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Casanova, Jose, Perez, Sergio M., Clark, John J., Zirk, Randy J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,978,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0017 Anti-theft devices, e.g. tags or monitors, fixed to articles, e.g. clothes, and to be removed at the check-out of shops
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0047 Unlocking tools; Decouplers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a security tag. The methods involve: establishing an electrical connection between the security tag and an external Power Removal Station (“PRS”); performing operations by the security tag to authenticate a detach command sent from the external PRS; allowing power to be supplied from the external PRS to an electro-mechanical component of the security tag when the detach command is authenticated; and actuating the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

Claims

1. A method for operating a security tag, comprising:

establishing an electrical connection between the security tag and an external Power Removal Station (“

PRS”

);

performing operations by the security tag to authenticate a detach command sent from the external PRS;

allowing power to be supplied from the external PRS to an electro-mechanical component of the security tag when the detach command is authenticated; and

actuating the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detach command is sent from the external PRS to the security tag when a verification has been made that an article to which the security tag is attached has been successfully purchased.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an end of the pin resides within an aperture formed in a first portion of the security tag at least partially spaced apart from a second portion of the security tag by a gap when the pin is in the engaged position.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the pin is fully retracted into the second portion of the security tag when the pin is in the unengaged position.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the gap is sized and shaped to prevent a user'"'"'s access to the pin while the security tag is being coupled to the article at least partially inserted into the gap.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pin is fixedly coupled to the security tag'"'"'s housing.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electro-mechanical component is a solenoid or a motor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power is supplied to the electro-mechanical component by actuating a switch of the security tag.

9. A method for operating a security tag, comprising:

establishing an electrical connection between a Power Removal Station (“

PRS”

) and the security tag;

receiving by the PRS a signal sent from a computing device when a verification has been made that an article to which the security tag is attached has been successfully purchased; and

supplying power from the PRS to the security tag in response to the PRS'"'"'s reception of the signal so as to enable actuation of a mechanical component of the security tag, whereby a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the mechanical component is actuated upon authentication of a detach command sent from the PRS and received at the security tag.

11. A security tag, comprising:

an electro-mechanical component;

an electrical connector coupled to the electro-mechanical component and configured to establish an electrical connection between the security tag and an external Power Removal Station (“

PRS”

); and

an electrical circuit configured to

authenticate a detach command sent from the external PRS,

allow power to be supplied from the external PRS to the electro-mechanical component when the detach command is authenticated, and

cause actuation of the electro-mechanical component so that a pin of the security tag transitions from an engaged position to an unengaged position without any human assistance or mechanical assistance by a device external to the security tag.

12. The security tag according to claim 11, wherein the detach command is sent from the external PRS to the security tag when a verification has been made that an article to which the security tag is attached has been successfully purchased.

13. The security tag according to claim 11, wherein an end of the pin resides within an aperture formed in a first portion of the security tag at least partially spaced apart from a second portion of the security tag by a gap when the pin is in the engaged position.

14. The security tag according to claim 13, wherein the pin is fully retracted into the second portion of the security tag when the pin is in the unengaged position.

15. The security tag according to claim 13, wherein the gap is sized and shaped to prevent a user'"'"'s access to the pin while the security tag is being coupled to the article at least partially inserted into the gap.

16. The security tag according to claim 11, wherein the pin is fixedly coupled to the security tag'"'"'s housing.

17. The security tag according to claim 11, wherein the electro-mechanical component is a solenoid or a motor.

18. The security tag according to claim 11, wherein the power is supplied to the electro-mechanical component by actuating a switch of the security tag.